Issue(s): Ms. Marvel #20, Ms. Marvel #21
Cover Date: Oct-Dec 78
Title: "The all-new Ms. Marvel" / "The devil in the dark!"
Credits:
Chris Claremont - Writer
Dave Cockrum - Penciler
Bob Wiacek / Al Milgrom - Inker

Review/plot:
Ms. Marvel gets a new costume courtesy of Janet Pym and Dave Cockrum.

The legend is that Cockrum went through several design iterations before coming up with this version.

"CBA: Was that your one collaboration with Stan?

Dave: No. We went round and round about Ms. Marvel's costume, too. Remember she started with a female version of Captain Marvel's costume only with an open belly, and we all bitched about that because none of us could figure a
rationale for it. So they closed the belly opening, but we said, 'No, she needs another costume.' We hassled Stan about it for so long that he said, 'All right! If you think you're so smart, design a new one.' And I must have gone through 50 designs! Some of 'em I would xerox and try out in different colors, and Stan would go, 'No, no, no, no! Get that out of here." Finally I did the one with the lightning bolt and sash, and I took it to Stan who said, 'That's what you should have done from the start! That's what I like: Shiny leather and tits & ass!"

(From the Fall 1999 "Comic Book Artist," No. 6, page 31)

The outfit is actually quite similar to the Phoenix costume also designed by Cockrum. It also looks like the temporary costume Ms. Marvel wore in Ms. Marvel #18 when Centurion was homing in on the circuits of her original suit. It's a good time for a costume change after sort of resolving the problems with her imitation of Captain Marvel at the end of last issue. While it's a very "sexy" costume, at least more of her body is covered than her previous suit, and it's certainly better than the original version with the exposed mid-riff.

Carol says that the downside is that she can't afford to gain any weight while wearing this, but i don't think that was any less true of any of her costumes.

The domino mask is a little inconsistent this issue. Sometimes her eyes are visible and sometimes there are just the white holes. I like the white holes better; it makes her more mysterious looking.

Other than her new suit, this is a very silly arc, with Ms. Marvel fighting lizard men whose people were created during the US's nuclear testing programs.

Ms. Marvel eventually allows her reporter friend and the members of the military that found the lizard men to be brainwashed so that the lizards can live in peace.

So big, so fast alert: The lizard people's giant cobra: "By Pama, how can anything so big move so fast, so silently--?!".

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - Ms. Marvel gets her classic black costume

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Again attacked mentally, this time by a hypnotic lizard man, Carol compares it to the mental attack of MODOK's in Ms. Marvel #7, just like she did to the Supreme Intelligence's mental attack last issue.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1 (issue #21 is an original)

"The Devil In the Dark " and a previous issue title "Mirror, Mirror" are also titles for Star Trek episodes.

Ms. Marvel's smaller costume and Cockrum's coming on board were originally announced back in late 1977, but evidently everything got delayed. At the same time, Shanna the She-Devil was announced for a return with also a smaller costume, but fan newspages couldn't guess how that could be accomplished.

Looking at the splash page, it seems to me like Ms Marvel just broke her own neck....

If you'll pardon a minor correction, you've listed Bob Wiacek as a penciller rather than inker.

Thanks Luke.

"Sergeant Jim Whitmore" and his investigation of mysterious disappearances in New Mexico are a clear allusion to the 1954 SF classic THEM!